Methods and systems for selecting internet radio program break content using mobile device location

• US 8,644,756 B1
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Targeted Radio LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Albert S Baldocchi, David D Minter
• Inventors: Minter, David D., Baldocchi, Albert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zweizig, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/021,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 148 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/3.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets

Abstract

Methods and systems for selecting content for outputting on a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio stream using mobile device location information. In one aspect, the methods and systems seamlessly select content for outputting on a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio stream using mobile device location information and program break markers. In another aspect, the methods and systems select content for outputting on a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio stream using mobile device trajectory information.

Claims

1. A method for streaming localized content to a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio program, comprising:

streaming from an Internet radio source to a mobile device an Internet radio program;

receiving by the Internet radio source from the mobile device a report including a location of the mobile device;

detecting electronically by the Internet radio source a marker indicating a start of a program break in the Internet radio program;

streaming from the Internet radio source to the mobile device during the program break program break content selected by the Internet radio source using the reported location and a program break duration indicator configured for the program break indicating a duration of the program break; and

resuming by the Internet radio source streaming to the mobile device of the Internet radio program after the program break.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the program break content comprises consulting by the Internet radio source an advance program script associating the program break and the program break duration indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the marker contains the program break duration indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break duration indicator is uniquely associated with the program break.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the program break content comprises consulting by the Internet radio source a database associating a plurality of program break content instances with a respective plurality of location ranges and indicators of duration for which the program break content instances are suitable for insertion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the program break content comprises comparing for a first match by the Internet radio source the reported location with a location range associated in a database with a program break content instance and comparing for a second match by the Internet radio source the program break duration indicator configured for the program break with an indicator of duration associated in the database with the program break content instance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second streaming step comprises streaming from the Internet radio source to the mobile device during the program break a plurality of program break content items selected by the Internet radio source using the reported location and the program break duration indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location report further comprises a time and the method further comprises the step of verifying by the Internet radio source using the reported time that the reported location is sufficiently current to be used in selecting the program break content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet radio source delays resumption of streaming of the Internet radio program to the mobile device beyond the program break and makes timing adjustments to the Internet radio program to achieve seamless streaming.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported location comprises global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported location is determined using location information manually inputted by a user of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported location is determined using base station triangulation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported location is determined using a location associated with an Internet access device with which the mobile device is in wireless communication.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a portable computer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a passenger vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet radio program is a music program.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet radio program is a talk show program.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet radio program is a news program.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises an advertisement.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises a radio station identification message.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises a traffic report.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises a weather report.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises a politics report.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises a sports report.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported location has a degree of accuracy selected by a user of the mobile device.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the program break content comprises audio content and print content identifying a business entity sponsoring the program break content.

28. A method for streaming localized content to a mobile device during an advertising break in an Internet radio audio stream, comprising:

streaming from an Internet radio source to a mobile device an Internet radio audio stream;

receiving by the Internet radio source from the mobile device a report including a location of the mobile device;

detecting electronically by the Internet radio source a marker indicating a start of an advertising break in the Internet radio audio stream;

streaming from the Internet radio source to the mobile device during the advertising break an advertisement selected by the Internet radio source using the reported location and an advertising break duration indicator configured for the advertising break indicating a duration of the advertising break; and

resuming by the Internet radio source streaming to the mobile device of the Internet radio audio stream after the advertising break.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein selection of the advertisement comprises consulting by the Internet radio source an advance program script associating the advertising break and the advertising break duration indicator.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the marker contains the advertising break duration indicator.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the advertising break indicator is uniquely associated with the advertising break.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein selection of the advertisement comprises consulting by the Internet radio source a database associating a plurality of advertisement instances with a respective plurality of location ranges and indicators of duration for which the advertisement instances are suitable for insertion.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein selection of the advertisement comprises comparing for a first match by the Internet radio source the reported location with a location range associated in a database with an advertisement instance and comparing for a second match by the Internet radio source the advertising break duration indicator configured for the advertising break with an indicator of duration associated in the database with the advertisement instance.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the second streaming step comprises streaming from the Internet radio source to the mobile device during the advertising break a plurality of advertisements selected by the Internet radio source using the reported location and the advertising break duration indicator.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the location report further comprises a time and the method further comprises the step of verifying by the Internet radio source using the reported time that the reported location is sufficiently current to be used in selecting the advertisement.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the Internet radio source delays resumption of streaming of the Internet radio audio stream to the mobile device beyond the advertising break and makes timing adjustments to the Internet radio audio stream to achieve seamless streaming.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein the reported location comprises global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein the reported location is determined using location information manually inputted by a user of the mobile device.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein the reported location is determined using base station triangulation.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein the reported location is determined using a location associated with an Internet access device with which the mobile device is in wireless communication.

41. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

42. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile device is a portable computer.

43. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile device is a passenger vehicle.

44. The method of claim 28, wherein the Internet radio audio stream is a music stream.

45. The method of claim 28, wherein the reported location has a degree of accuracy selected by a user of the mobile device.

46. The method of claim 28, wherein the advertisement comprises audio content and print content identifying a business entity sponsoring the advertisement.

47. An Internet radio source, comprising:

at least one communication interface; and

a processor communicatively coupled with the communication interface, wherein under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to stream to a mobile device via the interface an Internet radio program, receive from the mobile device via the interface a report including a location of the mobile device, detect electronically a marker indicating a start of a program break in the Internet radio program, stream to the mobile device via the interface during the program break program break content selected using the reported location and a program break duration indicator configured for the program break indicating a duration of the program break and resume streaming to the mobile device via the interface the Internet radio program after the program break.

48. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to consult an advance program script associating the program break and the program break duration indicator.

49. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the marker contains the program break duration indicator.

50. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break duration indicator is uniquely associated with the program break.

51. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to consult a database associating a plurality of program break content instances with a respective plurality of location ranges and indicators of duration for which the program break content instances are suitable for insertion.

52. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to compare for a first match the reported location with a location range associated in a database with a program break content instance and compare for a second match the program break duration indicator configured for the program break with an indicator of duration associated in the database with the program break content instance.

53. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to stream to the mobile device via the interface during the program break a plurality of program break content items selected using the reported location and the program break duration indicator.

54. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the location report further comprises a time and under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to verify using the reported time that the reported location is sufficiently current to be used in selecting the program break content.

55. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein under control of the processor the Internet radio source is configured to delay resumption of streaming of the Internet radio program to the mobile device beyond the program break and make timing adjustments to the Internet radio program to achieve seamless streaming.

56. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the reported location comprises global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.

57. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the reported location is determined using location information manually inputted by a user of the mobile device.

58. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the reported location is determined using base station triangulation.

59. The Internet radio source of claim 47 wherein the reported location is determined using a location associated with an Internet access device with which the mobile device is in wireless communication.

60. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

61. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the mobile device is a portable computer.

62. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the mobile device is a passenger vehicle.

63. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the Internet radio program is a music program.

64. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the Internet radio program is a talk show program.

65. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the Internet radio program is a news program.

66. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises an advertisement.

67. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises a radio station identification message.

68. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises a traffic report.

69. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises a weather report.

70. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises a politics report.

71. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises a sports report.

72. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the reported location has a degree of accuracy selected by a user of the mobile device.

73. The Internet radio source of claim 47, wherein the program break content comprises audio content and print content identifying a business entity sponsoring the program break content.